Missouri's Blunt among lawmakers announcing Capitol attack hearings

Missouri’s senior U.S. senator, Roy Blunt, has joined Michigan’s Gary Peters, Ohio’s Rob Portman and Minnesota’s Amy Klobuchar in declaring bipartisan hearings will be held in the aftermath of the Wednesday attack on the Capitol in Washington D.C., resulting in violence and vandalism, the deaths of five people and an hourslong delay in certifying the Electoral College vote.

Four died during the daylight assault on the building where the Senate and House meet in their respective chambers.

A fifth fatality, U.S. Capitol police officer Brian D. Sicknick, was confirmed to have succumbed to his injuries Thursday night.

Friday’s announcement blamed a “criminal mob” who attempted to “subvert American democracy.”

The statement from the four senators, two Republicans and two Democrats, read:

“Wednesday’s violent and criminal acts directed at our Capitol, a symbol of American democracy, will forever be a stain on our nation’s history.

“Due to the heroic acts of many, the perpetrators of this attack failed to achieve their goal.

“It is our duty as bipartisan leaders of the Senate committees with jurisdiction over homeland security, oversight and Capitol operations to examine the security failures that led to Wednesday’s attack.

“Let us be clear: an attack on the Capitol building is an attack on every American. We plan to conduct oversight and hold bipartisan hearings on these horrific events and work together to make the necessary reforms to ensure this never happens again.”

Blunt (R-Mo.) and Klobuchar (D-Minn.) lead the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, while Peters (D-Mich.) and Portman (R-Ohio) are leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.